SEOUL, May 22 (UPI) -- The prosecution said it has dropped charges against South Korea President Roh Moo-hyun and former opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang.
The Korea Times reported Saturday that its eight-month-long investigation into illegal corporate donations to campaign funds during the 2002 presidential election had been dropped because they couldn't find any evidence suggesting Roh or Lee were directly involved in the fundraising.
"We have no evidence yet to support the allegations that Roh played a role in the collection of campaign funds by his aides," Ahn Dai-hee, the lead prosecutor told reporters at a news conference Friday.
"In Lee's case, we have a testimony from a lawmaker that he gave a secret order to keep part of the bonds from Samsung, but this is not enough for us to bring charges against him."
Ahn also said the state has decided not to punish Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, because of the lack of evidence the chairman played a role in Samsung's provision of illegal funds.
